A former Minister of Aviation, Prof. Babalola Borisade, is dead. According to family sources, Borisade died in the early hours of Wednesday in the United Kingdom (UK) after a brief illness. He was aged 71.
He was initially rushed to Reddington Hospital in Lagos last week from where he was taken to London. The cause of the death was lung and heart-related.
Born in Usi- Ekiti on March 7, 1946, the late Borisade, until his death was a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He was the Director-General of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s campaign for the 2015 general elections. Atiku later lost the ticket to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Borishade had his early education at St. Andrews Primary School in his home town and his secondary school education at Doherty Memorial Grammar School, Ijero Ekiti. In 1971, he graduated from the University of Ife with First Class Honours in Electrical Engineering. He was retained as Graduate Assistant at the same university.
In 1972, he secured a Commonwealth Scholarship for a Doctorate Degree in High Voltage Engineering at the Victoria University, Manchester, United Kingdom. He later obtained his PhD in 1975 and returned to Obafemi Awolowo University where he pioneered the establishment of the Electrical Power Systems Degree Programme and the University of Ife Consultancy Unit in the Faculty of Technology.
In 1975, Borishade was selected as a member of pioneering experts and proceeded to train at the Nuclear and Power Engineering Station in Texas, A & M University where he obtained a certificate in Nuclear Power Development. He further undertook training in the International Atomic Energy Agency Centre in Vienna in 1982.
Borishade who is a registered engineer and member of Institute of Electrical Engineers U.K, Nigerian Society of Engineers, American Nuclear Society, Science Association of Nigeria, became an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering O.A.U Ile- Ife in 1985.
During the years of his stay at O.A.U Ile-Ife, he served as a member of the Technical Advisory Committee at the Regional Centre for Training in Aerospace Survey, a representative of the congregation at the University Senate, Chairman of Project Advisory Committee and University Works and Maintenance Service Monitoring Committee.
Prof. Borishade was appointed Senior Special Assistant to President Obasanjo in May 1999, initiating and convening of the first Youth Forum in Abuja. He chaired the preparation of the National Youth Policy and the blueprint of the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP). Between February 2001 and May 2003, he served as the Minister of Education.
Between July, 2005 and November 2006, Prof. Borishade was Minister of Aviation, during which a Civil Aviation Bill was passed to replace the 1964 Act and the direct flight between Nigeria and the United States of America was restored.
His initiation of various reforms and development in the aviation sector resulted in Nigeria scoring 93% in the ICAO Universal Audit which made Nigeria a benchmark to African Aviation Industry.
In November 2006, he was reassigned to the Federal Ministry of Culture and Tourism as a Minister, a position he held till May, 2007 at the expiration of the Obasanjo presidency. (Independent)